Baskets
by Darcoholic
Summary: Hate: A special kind of love given to people who I really, really dislike. A Modern P&P. Please read and review! Warning: won't have updates for a while. See Chap. 4 for more info.
1. All For Charity

Disclaimer: I do not own anything whatsoever! No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.

**Baskets**

**A Modern P&P**

**Chapter 1: All For Charity**

"No WAY!" she exclaimed.

"Mar..." Erin pleaded, "Mar, please."

The brunette looked at the blonde. "Erin, you're crazy. Where, and _why_, and _how _in the world did you get the idea that I would ever participate in something like this?!"

"It's for a good cause," offered Erin, "And plus, it'll be fun."

Here Mariana raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Fun? What kinda fun are you thinking of? 'Coz my kinda fun doesn't exactly constitute preparing a basket and being bid upon."

"Oh Mar, you're so cynical," Erin chided, "It _is_ fun, because the bidders get the basket for lunch, and get to eat it with the girl who made the basket."

"Great," Mariana said, "So I'll be trapped into having lunch with some creeper buying me and my basket. Isn't that, like, prostitution or something?"

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!"

"You keep on saying that, Erin, and every time you say it I still don't believe you."

"Do it?" Erin pleaded one last time, "For me?"

Mariana stared at Erin right in the eyes for a long time.

"Alright," she said finally, "Alright. I'll do it. But you owe me!

---

The day of the Baskets event came quickly, and Mariana's basket actually contained edible foods - a feat which wouldn't have been accomplished without Erin's aid.

"Mmm..." said Mariana, looking into the bag and licking her lips, "It smells good!"

Erin slapped her friend away. "Save that for the lunch," she scolded playfully. "Now let's go get dressed."

Every 'Basket Girl', a term Mariana loathed with a passion, had to wear a white sundress, and Erin and Mariana had already gotten theirs. Erin's was a strapless dress with flowers, and Mariana's was a halter that went down to her knees.

"Should I curl my hair?" asked Erin, turning to her friend.

"No," said Mariana, "We're late already!"

"Okay..." said Erin, "But can you at least let your hair out before we go? You look too uptight; like you don't want to go or something."

Mariana avoided commenting and looked at herself skeptically in the mirror, considering Erin's request, then with a sigh took her long wavy hair out of its usual ponytail.

"Much better!" Erin exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"Okay, okay, don't get too carried away," laughed Mariana.

Erin popped on a pair of white wedges and Mariana a pair of white flip flops as the two friends left Erin's home and got into Erin's Jeep.

"I'm so excited," Erin gushed, talking the whole way to Douglas Park, where the Baskets event was being held.

"Okay Erin, whoa girl," Mariana laughed, getting out of the Jeep and heading towards the stage where everyone had assembled. Erin craned her neck, looking at the crowd, then squealed as her eyes were covered.

"Guess who," Jake said from behind Erin, winking at Mariana.

"Jake!" Erin smiled, then turned around to give her boyfriend a kiss.

"So..." Erin asked, swinging Jake's hand, "You gonna bid for me today?"

Jake smiled goofily. "I'm loaded, didn't ya know?"

"Yeah, I knew," teased Erin.

"Hey Mariana," greeted Jake.

"Hey Jake," Mariana smiled in return.

"You know, I had to practically drag Alex here," Jake laughed.

"Alex is back?!" Mariana asked in disbelief.

Seeing Jake's nod, Mariana huffed. "Well," she said, "Not that I care, and I don't want anything to do with him. He doesn't have any reason to interact with me, either," she tried to convince herself.

"Oh, come off it, Mar," said Jake. "You know and _I_ know that he's been calling you nonstop, and that you've been ignoring his calls. What that tells me is that he does want to interact with you - very, very much."

Mariana crossed her arms stubbornly. "Alex Williams is the most egotistical asshole I have ever met," she announced, "It was a mistake when I... when we..." she faltered, losing her composure. "Anyway, again I say, that Alex Williams will never, ever be a part of my life again!"

Mariana heard a whistle from behind her and saw none other than Alex Williams in all his glory, looking at her with his hands in his pockets. "That was pretty harsh," he winced.

"Well, I meant every bit of it!" Mariana spat.

"What's that for?" Alex asked, pointing to the basket.

"This?" Mariana asked, lifting her basket up. "Oh, it's not mine," she started to babble, lying horribly.

"Actually, Mariana's a Basket Girl," Erin piped in.

Alex's face slowly started to crack into a grin.

Mariana hit him on the shoulder. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything," Alex grinned again. "You're a basket girl?!" Alex took out his wallet and started to count his money.

"Don't you dare!" Mariana hissed.

"But if I do?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, Mar," Erin coaxed her friend over to the back of the stage as Jake and Alex went to take their seats, "Alex was just playing with you."

"Yeah, well, he lost that right when he insulted me right after he - right after we..." Mariana stopped herself. "He's such a jerk!" she amended, reverting to her usual statement whenever she was at a loss for words.

"A jerk who still likes you," Erin corrected.

"He does not!"

"Oh yes he does," Erin argued. "The way you two interact..."

"Oh stop it Erin," Mariana rolled her eyes, "Your 'romantic tension' argument still doesn't work. It didn't work in Grade 8 when we first met Alex the Jerk, and it won't work now in our senior year. Alex has always been a jerk and I doubt he'll ever change. Not that I care, though."

Erin smirked, not saying anything, her silence speaking words.

"All basket girls to the stage, please," a voice said through a megaphone.

Mariana looked at Erin's excited face and sighed. "What's the point of going up there if you know Jake's gonna bid on you anyway?" she asked her friend.

Erin didn't reply as they walked on stage, to whistles and catcalls from the audience - Jake included.

"Why I don't participate in these things," Mariana muttered to herself.

---

**A/N: **And... the first chapter! Sorry to end it like that, but I want to see what you wonderful readers think before I post more. This should be a relatively short fic - although you never know when the plot bunnies attack, haha. I was going to write the whole entire thing before I posted it, so that there weren't too many long gaps in between updates, but I was too impatient so I've only finished Chapter 2. I'm going to try to update quickly... but it is finals and provincial exam time for me right now so please be patient.

Some name changes happening here, mainly because our favourite main characters are going to be slightly out of character. For those of you who haven't guessed already, Mariana is Elizabeth, Erin is Jane, Jake is Charles and Alex Williams is our much adored William Darcy.

So I've decided to twist the story line just a little bit - changing Mariana and Alex's relationship. Obviously (I hope) you've guessed that they were 'involved' with each other and Alex said something to hurt Mariana in some way. Flashbacks and more info about their history in following chapters!

So do you like this so far? Please review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is appreciated, as this is my first fanfic.

- Darcoholic

Preview of Chapter 2:

_"Why?" I asked, "Why?" I repeated the word again, tears threatening to fall down my cheek._

_Alex looked at me with such emotion in his eyes that I started to cry, silently, tears streaming down my face._

_"I..." he faltered, reaching out with his thumb to wipe my tears away from my cheek, "I... "_


	2. Going Once, Going Twice

Summary: The bidding begins! Hmm, I wonder who bids on Mariana? 

Disclaimer: I do not own anything whatsoever! No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.

**A/N: **And a big thank you goes to everyone who reviewed!

**Thecoolnerd: **No, this story won't be a P&P sequel. Pemberley, Wickham, Collins, etc. will all happen in this story. What's happened so far is the dance insult in the beginning of the book. Alex and Jake aren't new neighbours but they're still rich hotties ;)

**fallingforGGguys:** Well you'll just have to wait and see! Haha. And yes, the basket theme is inspired by Gilmore Girls. ;)

**Baskets **

**Chapter 2: Going Once, Going Twice...**

---

I lined up with all the other basket girls - some I recognized from school. Looking over at them, I noticed that most of their faces were flushed.

_'From excitement?' _I thought with distaste, _'Blech!'_

Meanwhile the rules of the bidding were being announced. It went up in increments of 10.

Katherine was the first up - I recognized her from my English Lit class. Katherine was a quiet girl, very reserved, but pretty in the 'girl next door' kind of way.

"10 dollars!" shouted out a boy.

"Hold on, hold on," scolded Ms. Fanders, the woman in charge of the tournament. "I need to announce her first!"

"Sorry," the boy said sarcastically.

"Okay then... Katherine Winters seems to have a beautiful basket..."

"10 dollars!"

"Oh bother!" Ms. Fanders snapped, "Go ahead with the bidding."

"20!" shouted out another, and Katherine smiled shyly.

"30!" said the first boy, and the other shook his head.

"Going once, going twice..." Ms. Fanders looked around, "Gone!" she yelled through the megaphone, and everyone winced as the megaphone screeched.

"Now next up we have Joyce..."

Soon, it was just a few girls who hadn't been 'sold' - Erin, me and two others. All the other girls had to stay in line, though, and couldn't leave the stage until all the bidding was done.

"Next up we have Erin Janes," Ms. Fanders announced.

"Now boys are fishing out their wallets," I whispered to Erin, and it was true. Erin was probably the prettiest, nicest girl in our town.

"10!" Jake started the bid, and Erin blushed prettily. Then again, what didn't Erin do prettily?

"20!"

"30!"

"40!"

"50!" Jake tried to glare at everybody bidding on his girlfriend. "Come on, that's my girl!" he shouted out.

"That doesn't matter, Mr. Charleston," said Ms. Fanders. "Anyone can bid. Plus..." she peeked into Erin's basket, "It looks and smells delicious, whatever Miss Janes has cooked!"

"60!"

"70!"

"80!" said one boy, who hadn't bid before. "She's hot, and I have 200 dollars right here in my pocket!" he said smugly.

Well, he shouldn't have been so smug.

"Two hundred dollars," announced Jake loud and clear. Jake adored Erin, and was unbelievably protective of her.

The smug boy nudged his friend, quite possibly to get him to lend some money, but the friend shook his head.

"200 dollars, going once... going twice... gone, to Mr. Charleston."

Erin came back, face slightly red.

"What did I tell you?" I grinned at her.

"Jake's soo jealous," Erin whispered back. "He spent 200 dollars on me!" she said, shocked.

"Are you really surprised? It was to be expected."

"Was it?" Erin asked me. "I thought the boys would go for you."

"Believe me, they won't," I scoffed. "You're the hot blonde."

"Yeah, but you're the hot, hard-to-get brunette," I countered, "Hey look, it's your turn. I'll bet you 20 bucks!"

"Deal," I smirked back at her, and walked to the front of the stage, where people started to whistle immediately.

"Is that necessary?!" I snapped.

"Damn, yeah," the smug boy's friend said. "I brought more than my friend here!"

I rolled my eyes as Ms. Fanders announced me. "Mariana D." I smiled at how she avoided saying my last name, as most people had trouble pronouncing it.

"50," a voice said, and I looked at Alex sharply.

"Are you that idiotic?" I snapped at him.

"60!"

"Seems not," Alex returned.

"70!"

"80!"

"90!"

I gave Alex a don't-you-dare glare, but he looked at me straight in the eyes as he said calmly, "100."

Ms. Fanders interrupted. "Now we go up in increments of 5," she said.

I hid my face in my hands as I heard someone say, "105!" only to be upped by Alex's 110.

Smug boy actually lent money to his friend and he shouted, "200!"

"250," Alex said calmly, hands in his pockets and looking at me.

"Are you serious? I can't believe you!" I spat at Alex.

"255!" Smug boy's friend said.

Alex looked at smug boy. "Give it up, pal," he said before announcing, "260."

---

"You owe me 20 bucks," Erin sang as I came back to join her on the stage.

"Enough gloating, Erin," I scowled, "I have to have lunch with Insufferable Alex."

"Starving children thank you."

"Way to guilt trip..." I said, "But who pays 300 dollars? 'Alex, that's who.'

"Mar..." Erin started, trying to reason with me, but I held up a hand.

"No, Erin," I interrupted, "Jake paying $200 was cool, coz he's your boyfriend. But Alex?! He has NO right whatsoever to do this to me! Why would he, anyway? It wasn't like he planned this or anything... he's doing this purposely to hurt me," I declared.

"Oh, Mariana," sighed Erin, looking at me, wanting to say more but knowing that I wouldn't listen. "How would I know Alex was back?"

"You wouldn't," I sighed.

"Exactly. So try to enjoy your lunch. Please."

"'Enjoy' and 'Alex' will never ever fit in the same sentence together," I declared. "Wanna bet?"

"No, Mar," Erin sighed, "I'll see you later, though. K?"

"K," I scowled.

---

My scowl stuck and deepened - if that was even possible - when I saw Alex waiting for me in the crowd.

"You wipe that smirk off your face right now," I ordered.

"Hey, I this is a once-in-the-lifetime experience, you know," Alex smirked, "Bidding on your basket, I mean."

"You're really stupid, you know?" I spat at him.

"Well, this stupid person -" he pointed to himself, "- Gets to take you out to lunch."

"You're not 'taking me out'," I corrected, still scowling and still ever-so-angry. "I have to eat lunch with you, and we're eating from my basket, so you are not 'taking me out'!"

"Whatever," Alex shrugged, "Same difference."

"So should we eat now?" I asked, wanting to get the lunch over and done with as soon as possible, "There are some picnic tables over there."

Alex shook his head. "No." He smirked again. "No, we're going somewhere else. Come on," he offered (not really; more like ordered) and took my arm to lead me to his car.

I wrenched my arm out of his grasp, fuming. I was determined to not say a word to him. We reached his convertible (Yes, convertible; he was that loaded) and he opened the passenger door for me, but I pointedly ignored his gesture and sat in the back. I heard him sigh and he got into the driver's seat.

"Aren't you going to ask me where we're going?" he asked after about twenty minutes of driving in silence.

I didn't say anything, and kept on staring out at the houses to my right.

"Aren't you going to say something?" he asked again, only rewarded by silence.

"I guess not," he sighed.

_'You guessed right,'_ I thought angrily.

We reached a kind of foresty park that I didn't recognize, and he led me to a grassy knoll where I just sat down, wrapping my arms around my knees. The basket was left untouched.

"You know, this is weird for me too," he admitted. "I came back early... to see you, I guess. I don't know why; I just knew I should. But I did know that you'd cause hell if I came back. But I'm ready for the Mariana spitfire," he half-laughed.

I didn't say anything; didn't even look at him.

"But I wasn't..." Alex looked back at me, "I wasn't expecting... I wasn't ready for this. Back at the park, yeah, sure. That's what I knew and expected you would do. 'Coz you're Mar; that's your thing."

Alex sat forward, wrapping his arms around his knees as well. "But this, this - silence. Mar, you're killing me here. Yell. Do something, please? Anything but this silence."

Finally I looked at him after a moment or two. "Well, what did you expect, Alex?!" I questioned him.

"Something... something else," he said lamely.

"No," I corrected him, "No. What you were expecting and hoping for, Alex, was for everything to go back to normal. Between us," I gestured to the space in between him and I, "But that's not gonna happen. I made a mistake. I hallucinated, I guess. When we were at Manning I thought that I saw an Alex who wasn't caught up in his image, his pride, high society..."

"Don't say that," Alex clenched his jaw, what he always did when he was angry with what someone said.

I didn't adress his comment. "So then what was it for?" I wondered aloud. "We disliked each other since we saw each other 8th grade. Everyone knew how much we hated each other. Then we go to Manning and you 'turn on' the charm. We had a good time, Alex. You were charming, witty, and I let myself like you. But that was all in private. I should have known better," I shook my head. "Then we had that dance and you tell Jake that -"

"I know what I said," interrupted Alex shortly.

**---Flashback---**

"You know," shouted Mariana over the blaring derogatory bubblegum music, "This party is awesome!"

"Yeah," grinned Erin, shouting back, "I love it!"

"I was kidding, Er," shouted Mariana back at her friend.

"Oh," Erin said, her face dropping. "But guess what?!"

"What?"

Erin's face broke out into a huge grin. "Jake Charleston asked me out!"

"I hate to say I told you so... but Erin, I _SO_ told you so!"

"I know," Erin grinned. "You know, him and Alex Williams are best friends," Erin said matter-of-factly.

"And what are you trying to say?" Mariana grinned mischeviously.

"Well," Erin said, drawing out the word, "That means that since Jake and I will be spending a lot of time together now that we're a couple, you and Alex are going to be seeing much more of each other as well," she grinned, because she was the only one who knew about Mariana's recent 'relationship' of sorts with Alex.

"Whatever shall I do?" the brunette joked, sighing wistfully.

"Lets go find them," suggested Erin.

The girls saw Jake and Alex by the DJ booth. Both were yelling to be heard.

"Why don't you dance, Alex?" Jake suggested.

Mariana was about to tap Alex on the shoulder, but Erin put her finger over her lips in a 'shush' motion.

"I don't dance, Jake, you know that," returned Alex in the way only Alex could.

"There are plenty of hot girls here, Alex," said Jake, "And you know girls think you're cute. Just go up to one of them and ask them!"

"No," said Alex in a clipped tone. "There's absolutely no one here I want to dance with."

"Oh, that whole 'I'm awkward around strangers thing.' Well, then, why don't you ask Mariana to dance?" suggested Jake.

Alex looked at Jake, startled. "Why the hell would you say such a thing?" he snapped at his friend.

Mariana looked at Erin from behind the two oblivious boys and Erin's blue eyes showed nothing but sympathy for her friend.

"Well..." said Jake, a little shocked.

Alex continued, "You honestly think I'd ever be caught dead - or castrated - dancing with Mariana?"

"Hey Jake!" Mariana yelled, "Congrats on getting the catch of the year!" she pointed to Erin. "How does it feel?" she asked playfully before turning to Alex and shooting him possibly the dirtiest ever look befallen to man - or woman.

"-Mariana!" Alex said, in a shocked tone, but the girl in question had already stalked off.

**---End Flashback---**

"Mariana..." Alex said, "Listen, about what I said -"

"What?" I snapped, "What more, Alex?"

"I said the things I said because I didn't want Jake to know," he said lamely.

"What, was I so embarrassing that you didn't want anyone to know? I mean, I understand maybe not broadcasting it, but Jake's your best friend! I told Erin... Or did you just want to keep me in the shadows as a fling?"

"No!" Alex said, "No, it wasn't that, it was just..." he trailed off, unable to finish.

I was fed up. I stood up and walked away from him. I couldn't stand him at this point. Maybe I was over-reacting; I probably was. I had no idea why; it wasn't like we were married or anything. We weren't even dating. I had no trouble hating Alex from Grade 8 up until Manning, so why the big fuss?

I heard Alex's footsteps right behind me and I felt his hand on my arm, holding me back. "Wait, Mariana."

"Why?" I asked, "Why?" I repeated the word again, tears threatening to fall down my cheek. He put his hand on my shoulder and turned me around to face him. "Why the hell do you bother, Alex?"

Alex looked at me with such emotion in his eyes that I did start to cry, silently.

"I..." he faltered, reaching out with his thumb to wipe my tears away from my cheek, "I..." again, he was unable to finish.

I jerked my face away. I stopped crying now and I walked back towards my basket, which we had left untouched. I picked it up, "Just drive me home."

Alex contemplated this and looked at me for a while, "Okay."

---

He drove me home and I reached for my keys, putting it in the door. "Bye," I said, without looking at him.

"Look, Mariana..."

"I don't want to 'look', Alex." I opened the door and stepped in, turning around. "You had your opportunity and you blew it. Completely, out of your own volition. So don't 'look, Mariana' me. I said bye," I snapped, shutting the door in his face.

_'I'm not a desperate, weak, girl,' _I told myself, _'So why am I acting like one?'_

I phoned Erin's cell.

"Hello?" Erin answered.

"It's me," I told her, "How was your lunch with Jake?"

Erin giggled. "Oh, we haven't finished my basket yet! We're at the movie theatre right now. Jake's getting snacks," she explained.

I smiled and asked Erin to tell me about her date so far. Then I heard on the other line, "Bloody hell, Alex!"

"Alex is there?" I asked.

"No," said Erin slowly, in the tone she used when she was concealing something, "Let me call you back in a sec, okay?"

There was a knock at the door ten minutes later. I looked in the peephole and I saw Erin and Jake standing outside.

I opened the door. "Guys, didn't you have a movie to see?"

Erin held up _Pretty In Pink_ and Jake held up _How To Deal._

"We brought the movies to you!" Erin squealed, and revealed in her other hand Smartfood and Twix.

"I love you forever!" I grinned, motioning for them to come in and walking to the living room, grabbing a bowl for the Smartfood on the way.

As _Pretty In Pink_ loaded, I looked at Jake and Erin, snuggled up together on one end of the sofa.

"So, um... how was your lunch with Alex?" Erin asked in an odd tone.

"Bad," I scowled, "Now why don't you tell me what you heard first?" I knew they had come over with movies because they were worried. Erin and Jake were part of that special breed of caring people, and I was so lucky to have them as friends.

Jake spoke up. "Well, Alex called me and said you cried."

My eyes narrowed. "Did he say why?"

Jake was a little awkward. "Well, uh... I'd rather not say..."

"Tell me, Jake!" I demanded.

"Well, uh... he kind of..." Jake trailed off, looking to Erin for help.

"He said something along the lines of you over-reacting," said Erin quickly, as if saying it faster wouldn't make me react angrily.

"He did, did he? Well, did he also tell you that he was being a complete jerk?" Erin and Jack shook their heads. "Well, he was," I told them, "As always."

Jack looked at me pleadingly. "Give him time, Mar," he suggested, "He's not used to this kind of stuff."

"Neither am I!" I defended, "And I'm not interested in giving him any time at all!"

The couple beside me exchanged looks.

"I'm not!" I said adamantly.

---

Erin and I gushed over Trent Ford's absolute hotness as Jake munched on Smartfood and tried to convince us that Trent Ford didn't count as a hot actor because "He's a model too."

"And why does that exclude him from the hot actor list?"

"Because," Jake insisted, "It's not fair for us blokes!" he protested. Jake grew up in England for a while, so sometimes he would use English cusses or words. It was kinda funny, actually, because he wasn't aware of it."

"Ah, so only the elite are excluded from this list," I grinned.

"Let's change the subject," Jake proposed.

Just then, I heard the door open. Mollie, Caitlin and my mom came in.

"Hey!" greeted Mollie.

"Ohmigod, Ohmigod, guesswhat guesswhat?" screamed Caitlin.

"She's going to tell you anyway," Mollie rolled her eyes. "Plus, Mar would know already."

Caitlin burst. "Ohmigod, ohmigod, he's sohot! And we saw him! Ohmigod!"

"What, another cute boy, Caitlin?" I asked wryly.

"Totally," Caitlin rolled her eyes.

"Out with it, Caitlin!" smiled Erin. For some reason, Erin was able to actually carry on a conversation with Caitlin without rolling her eyes or being overly sarcastic.

"Ohmigod, ohmigod, Alex Williams is back!"

"We knew that already, Caitlin," I said calmy.

"You did?" said Caitlin, visibly put out. "But... how?"

"Told you," smirked Mollie.

"You know, Mariana," my mom spoke, "You should consider getting to know Mr. Williams. Quite the young catch, I tell you!"

I rolled my eyes. "I've had enough of Alex Williams," I scowled.

"Well, you definitely haven't. All of my DAR friends are friends with his family; they're very prominent, the Williams. We're hosting a cocktail party this weekend, in fact - the DAR. The Williams are the guests of honour and I've agreed to host it!"

"You've got to be kidding me!" I bug-eyed my mom. "No!"

"Do you have a reason to say no, Mariana?" My mother put her hands on her hips.

"I'm... busy... soccer game... important one..." I stumbled, lying horribly for the second time this day.

"Well then, I expect you to greet people at the door looking your best and on your finest behaviour," my mother told me, ignoring my lie. "All the sons of my DAR friends will be there too, so perhaps, if my prayers have been heard, one of them will take a liking to you."

"You know, mom, life's not all about getting a boy to like you," I scowled, but my mom ignored me - as she usually did.

"Oh, hello Erin, Jake," my mother beamed as she saw my friends, "How are you?"

"Fine, Mrs. D," smiled Jake.

"Young Mr. Williams is a good friend of yours, isn't he?" My mom asked. Seeing Jake's nod, she continued, "You and lovely Erin are invited, of course," She smiled.

Erin mirrored my mom's smile. "Thanks, Mrs. D, but we have plans," she said, getting up.

"Aren't you going to ask _her _about _her_ plans?" I asked my mom as Erin and Jake left my house. "Bye," I mouthed at them.

"No cheek from you," scolded my mom, "Now go help your sisters unpack the groceries."

---

"Ohmigod," gushed Caitlin as Mollie and I put the vegetables in the fridge, "We're coming to your school next year!"

"Yeah..." I said sarcastically, "What fun that will be!"

"Ohmigod, that means Alex Williams will be there too! Ohmigod!" Then Caitlin had an idea. "Ohmigod, Mary, you totally have to introduce us!" she said, squealing, then running from the room to do whatever wannabe Barbies do.

"One, don't call me Mary. Two, why me?"

"Because you're in the same grade," Mollie translated for her twin sister, "And also, what Caitlin has failed to notice, is that over the past month you got practically 100 calls from him. None of which you returned, however, so I'm not sure if this introduction will bode well."

I scowled at Mollie. "Since when have you checked my cell phone? And been so annoying?"

Mollie simply raised her eyebrow at me, not unlike the way I usually do when I know I've hit a sensitive spot of someone's.

I looked at her for a second then suddenly threw a plastic bag at her - which didn't bode well, 'coz if you've ever tried, plastic bags are hard to throw.

Mollie squealed and after about 5 minutes my mom came storming down the stairs, shouting "What is all this racket?!" Only to look in our kitchen and see two of her girls throwing plastic bags at each other.

Mollie and I looked at each other then at mom, grinning guiltily.

"Put those away right now!"

"Yes, mother," we said obediently.

---

I went to my room and plopped myself on the bed, turning on my laptop. Signing in to MSN, Erin popped up right away.

**Ejanes:** Hey! 'Sup?

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **Er... Mom just busted Mollie and I having a plastic bag war. I am sooo gonna school her next time.

**Ejanes: **Right, right.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **I am right!

**Ejanes: **I'm sure...

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā:** FYI, whatever you're doing this weekend, I want in.

**Ejanes:** Why?

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **So I can get out of the stupid cocktail party, that's why.

**Ejanes: **Your mom seems pretty set on getting you a guy...

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā:** ...Which is why I want in on what you're doing!

**Ejanes: **Can't.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **What?!

**Ejanes:** No can do.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **And in my time of need, too!

**Ejanes:** I'm meeting Jake's parents.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **No way!

**Ejanes: **Yeah way.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā:** Well... good luck then.

**Ejanes:** Thx ;)

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **We can have a contest: "Whose night sucked the most?" I betcha I'll win ;)

**Ejanes: **You're sooo competitive.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā:** I am not!

**Ejanes:** Whatevs.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **Huh. Well, you don't have a mother trying to raise you to be a golddigger and setting you up with her friends' snobby, spoiled, bratty sons.

**Ejanes: **I'm sure it won't be THAT bad!

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā:** Oh, I'm pretty sure it will be. Remember last time?

**Ejanes:** Ahaha! Yeah I do! Creepy Jesse...

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā:** ...Will probably be there on Saturday.

**Ejanes:** You have my sympathy.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **Yeah? Well then why don't you find me something to do on Saturday?

**Ejanes: **Not going to happen.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **Bah, this whole conversation was useless.

**Ejanes: **Seems like it.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **You're soooo pretty, you know that?

**Ejanes:** Still not happening.

**Mäŕįā****מ****ā: **Drat.

---

**A/N**: So, as you may have noticed, I haven't said Mariana's last name yet - mainly because I haven't chosen it! It has to start with a D, and Mariana says her name is somewhat 'hard to pronounce' for some so maybe it can have a weird spelling or something. Just because we're going to go to their school soon and I need to come up with Mariana's last name! Any suggestions, guys?

You can include your suggestion in your review (hint hint cough cough!)

Honestly, I kind of hate this chapter. I dunno why, it was kind of like word throw-up to me. Hard to write and hard to finish, which is why I have such a weird ending. Anyway, tell me what you think. Pretty please? With a Darcy on top?


	3. Shopaholic?

Disclaimer: I do not own anything whatsoever! No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who reviewed and suggested names! Hands out flowers ... I settled with Darjianno (thanks **the Mouse in the Opera House**!). I'm rollin' with it!

**CurlyHairedDisaster: **Yeah, I thought Mariana overreacted WAY too much in the story as well. Glad you like the name - I wasn't sure if it would be 'Lizzy' enough.

**GaLaXy: **You'll meet Jesse soon enough ;) and yeah, he's Collins.

**Marshie12: **Ah, update waiting... I apologize in advance. :)

**Thecoolnerd: **Well, looking back at Chapter 2, I don't competely _hate _it; I was just a little frustrated with it I guess.

---

**Baskets**

**Chapter 3: Shopaholic...?  
**

---

So ever since mom announced that her and her DAR friends are hosting a 'suck-up and elbow-rub' cocktail party in the Williams' honour, she's been stuck to my side like an annoying burr. An annoying burr who keeps on nagging about how 'unladylike' and 'lacking in manners' and '_single_' I am. So then, of course, mom-burr has taken me shopping every day. Not very succesfully, I might add - whenever she dragged me to the mall I would say I needed to go to the washroom ("I'll meet you there, mom") and ditch to go to the record store.

But finally, Mom took Mollie and Catie along to go shopping in the hopes that they would be 'good influences'. Mollie and I ditched Mom and Catie and went into a store where I fell in love with this dress. It was red with thick gold straps, a tie on the back and fell to around my knee. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it in the store, and plus there was a 50 percent off sale.

"Mollie," I gushed, "I have to get this dress!"

A sales girl with a plastic smile was hovering near us for a while and immediately jumped in, "Hi, my name's Karen. Let me get that for you!" she said, grabbing the dress and dragging me to the dressing room.

I tried it on, and I actually liked it. Coming out of the dressing room, I was smiling and Mollie winked at me.

"Let me take that to the counter for you," Karen practically shouted, but Mollie interrupted her.

"Actually, we're going to look around a bit," Mollie said, frowning at Karen.

"Okay," Karen slumped a little, "Just ask for me when you get back! Name's Karen!"

---

"Commission much?" I laughed once we exited the store.

Mollie smiled, "Yeah. But let's go find shoes for the dress now and come back later, 'coz I think my friend will be working there soon. It'll annoy Karen loads, not getting a commission from us!"

I grinned at my sister then we went shopping for shoes and ended up getting a really cute pair of red flats. Which I also loved. I marvel at Mollie's amazing shopping skills; whenever I shop - which isn't very often - I'm way too picky and usually extremely grumpy and on edge. Mollie, on the other hand, finds perfect stuff within a second of entering a shop. So usually she comes home with clothes and I take them.

"This is my day!" I smiled at Mollie, who unfortunately didn't see her friend at the dress shop. We picked up the dress and walked to the counter where we saw Karen hovering.

"Did anyone help you today?" smiled the clerk.

Mollie and I looked at Karen, who was mouthing her name at us and pointing to her name tag.

"No," Mollie said pointedly, smirking a little at Karen's crestfallen face.

---

"You're just a little cruel, you know that?" I laughed once we exited the store to meet up with mom and Caitlin.

"Aw, well, served her right," Mollie scowled.

We met up with mom who then insisted to see what I bought to see if it was 'acceptable' enough and was surprised to see that it was, in fact, 'ladylike' and perhaps even 'attractive' enough to get me out of the horribly devastatingly embarrassing category of 'single' people.

We went home after arguing over where the car was parked.

Mom: "It's to the right."

Caitlin: "Yeah, to the right."

Mollie: "It's forward."

Me: (Sigh) "Left."

We go forward, and sure enough there's no car to be found. Mom: "See, I told you! It's to the right!"

Me: "It's to the left, I'm telling you!"

Mom: (Snaps) "Mariana, don't be difficult!"

We go right... surprise, surprise, no car there.

Me: "I distinctly remember saying that it was to the left."

Mom: "Oh, Mariana, I heard no such thing._ I_ told all of you, it was to the left but you just wouldn't listen, would you? No one listens to me anymore."

Mollie rolls her eyes, Catie looks blank and I mutter, "For good reason."

Car ride home I plugged myself into my MP3 player and bopped along to _The Kinks_ for the rest of the ride.

We get home and I completely school Mollie in _Guitar Hero_. Which rocked. Then Mom decides to make us tidy. I have no idea why; our house is completely clean. I guess when you're hosting a party for the Williams, your house is immediately a pigsty, or whatever, 'coz Mom was going around, wiping her finger on everything and recoiling in horror at the invisible dust on her fingertip. Then, as a result, made me dust the whole entire house twice more.

I wonder if there's some kind of illness that I can contract overnight? Then I wouldn't have to go to this whole mess.

* * *

**A/N: **And Chapter 3. Written while drugged on Extra-strength Advil... which wasn't kicking in. Feel horrible. You know what medicine does work, though? I got a prescription for it. It has a simple name too: Review. 


	4. A Quick Author's Update

**A/N: **So it's been a while since I've last updated and that's because my computer has broken. Ahh! So I'm using the little time I have right now (on my friend's laptop) to quickly apologize for the long wait. I've been writing_ Baskets _in a notebook now, and since I have lots of chapters done I figure I won't update anymore until I finish the whole thing...

So sorry again and see you guys when _Baskets _is completed!


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